Percussion drum



Aug. 19, 1947. c. P. CORDES 2,425,996

I PERCUSSION DRUM Filed Aug. 31, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l f QI ' IriventorJ J Z f J fiaflasfardas.

WWW! 19m Aug. 19, 1947. c. P. CORDES PERCUSSION 'DRUM Filed Aug. 31,1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Inventor ,arlwfiafdes.

Patented Aug. 19, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PERCUSSION DRUMCharles P. Cordes, Elizabeth, N. J. Application August 31, 1944, SerialNo. 552,051

8 Claims. l

This invention relates to percussion drums, and an important object ofthe present invention is to provide a novel drum head construction fordrums of this kind, in which simple and efficient means is provided fortensioning the skin of the drum head by application of power at a singlepoint. The present application is a continuation, in part, of mycopending application, Serial No. 533,878, filed May 3, 1944.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a drumhead construction of the above kind which is comparatively simple,compact, and otherwise well adapted to meet with the requirements for asuccessful commercial use.

With the above general objects in view, and others that will becomeapparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, suchinvention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement ofparts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanyingdrawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicatecorresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a snare drum embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is an elevational view thereof, partly broken away.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 3-3 of Figure1.

Figure 4 is an elevational view, partly broken away, of the preferredform of detachable handle for rotating the pinion which actuates thetensioning ring of the drum head construction.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the tensioningring as shown in Figure 3.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings a snare drum including ashell 5 which may have similar head constructions at opposite endsthereof. As shown, each end of the shell 5 is inwardly oifset, as at 6,or externally reduced in diameter to provide the reduced end portion 1and an external annular shoulder 8 at the inner end of the reduced endportion 1. Snugly fitted on the reduced end portion 1 is a ring 9 thathas an external thread 9a, said ring being seated flatly on the shoulder8 and secured to the shell 5 by means of screws I!) pas-sing through thering 9 and threaded into said shell 5. A retaining hoop ll having aninternal thread Ila is screwed at its inner portion upon the threadedring 9 so as to be adjustable longitudinally of the shell 5, and thisretaining hoop has an annular inwardly projecting flange H at its outerend.

The inner portion of flange I2 is preferably inclined inwardly, as shownclearly in Figure 3. A tensioning ring I3 is threaded in the outerportion of the retaining hoop H and has its outer periphery providedwith external gear teeth l4 so that it also constitutes a ring gear. Theinner portion of the outer face of tensioning ring I3 is also preferablyinclined inwardly the same as the flange l2 of the hoop ll. At asuitable point circumferentially thereof, the retaining hoop II isprovided with a transverse hollow rib l5 having a cylindrical bore l6parallel with the axis of shell 5 and in which is journaled a pinion l8.Pinion l8 meshes with the teeth M of tensioning ring l3, as clearlyshown in Figures 1 and 5, and the thread grooves ll intersect the teethof ring it, as shown clearly in Figure 5.

An annular space is provided between the retaining hoop II and thereduced end portion 1 of shell 5, and disposed in this space inwardly ofthe tensioning ring [3 is a flesh hoop 20 consisting of an annularchannel of substantially V- shaped cross section having inturned flanges2| along the free edge thereof. The usual skin disc 2 I, or circularsheet of skin, is stretched over the end of shell 5 and has its marginalportion wrapped about the flesh hoop 20 with its free marginal portiontucked in the channel of hoop 20 through the open outer side of thelatter. Disposed between the tensioning ring [3 and the hoop 20 is athin thrust ring 22 having a central inward annular corrugation 23slightly narrower than the opening in the outer side of the flesh hoop2B. Bearing balls 24 are mounted in sockets provided at suitableintervals in the inner surface of tensioning ring l3, and these ballsproject and engage in the groove 23 of thrust ring 22. Balls 24 may berotatably held in place by peening the material of the ring 13 inwardlyas at 24a so as to envelope slightly more than one-half of said bearingballs. This construction permits free rotation of tensioning ring 13relative to thrust ring 28, allowing the latter to remain still or to beheld stationary by its frictional contact with the adjacent portion ofthe skin 2 l. Obviously, by rotating pinion l8, tensioning ring l3 maybe turned and threaded inwardly, thereby causing thrust ring 22 to forcethe adjacent portion of skin 2| into the opening at the outer side ofhoop 20, thereby effectively securing the mar ginal portion of the skinto the flesh hoop and forcing the latter inwardly to tension the skin2!, as desired. In actual use, the margin of the skin is wetted, andwhen it dries the free edge portion thereof curls up within the fleshhoop so that the skin may not readily become detached from the fleshhoop. As shown clearly in Figure 1, the pinion I!) has an axial bore 25of polygonal cross section so that a suitable handle with a squared endmay be engaged in this bore for turning the pinion IS. A preferred formof handle or tool for this purpose is shown in Figure 4, wherein asquare shank 26 projects from the intermediate portion of a handlemember 21 at right angles to the latter, and similar shorter shanks 28project from opposite ends of said handle member 2?. The shanks 26 and28 are all of the same size and shape so as to fit the bore 25. Thus,any one of the shanks may be engaged in the bore 25 for turning pinion18, thereby enabling actuation of the latter from difierent angles. Asthe thrust ring 22 may remain stationary and as it bears upon the skin2|, there is no tendency to cause the skin to rotate with the tensioningring I 3. In this way, the skin is drawn evenly at all points so as tobe tensioned in a very smooth condition. By threading the retaining hoopii on the shell, it may be adjusted longitudinally of the latter so thatthe flange I2 is at the proper distance from the skin 2! and so thatmost efli-cient tensioning of the skin may be elfected by actuation ofthe tensioning ring I3.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a durable and compact drumhead construction in which simple and eflicient means is provided fortensioning the skin of the drum head, and in which such tensioning meansis operable by the application of power at a, single point.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction andoperation, as well as the advantages of the present invention, will bereadily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.Obviously, the invention is susceptible of various changes in details ofconstruction illustrated and described without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

A drum construction comprising a shell, a retaining hoop adjustablythreaded on said shell at one end of the latter, the retaining hoopbeing spaced from the adjacent end portion of the shell to provide anannular space therebetween, a flesh hoop freely movable in said spacelongitudinally of the shell, a sheet of skin stretched over the end ofthe shell and having its marginal por tion wrapped about the flesh hoop,a combined tensioning ring and ring gear threaded in said retaining hoopoutwardly of said flesh hoop, a thrust ring interposed between the fleshhoop and the combined tensioning ring and ring gear and engaging theskin at the outer side of said flesh hoop, anti-friction elementscarried by the combined tensioning ring and ring gear and engaging thethrust ring, and means carried by the retaining hoop for rotating saidtensioning ring and ring gear.

2. A drum construction comprising a shell, a retaining hoop adjustablythreaded on said shell at one end of the latter, the retaining hoopbeing spaced from the adjacent end portion of the shell to provide anannular space therebetween, a flesh hoop freely movable in said spacelongitudinally of the shell, 3 sheet of skin stretched over the end ofthe shell and having its marginal portion wrapped about the flesh hoop,a combined tensioning ring and ring gear threaded in said retaining hoopoutwardly of said flesh hoop, l8, thrust ring interposed between theflesh hoop and the combined tensioning ring and ring gear and engagingthe skin at the outer side of said flesh hoop, anti-friction elementscarried by the combined tensioning ring and ring gear and engaging thethrust ring, and means carried by the retaining hoop for retaining saidcombined tensioning ring and ring gear, said last-named means comprisinga pinion. journaled in the retaining hoop and meshing with the teeth ofsaid combined tensioning ring and ring gear.

3. A drum construction comprising a shell having an end portionexternally reduced in diameter, a retaining hoop threaded onv the shellin spaced surrounding relation to the reduced end portion of the shell,a flesh hoop disposed between the reduced end portion of the shell andthe retaining hoop, a tensioning ring adjustably threaded in saidretaining hoop outwardly of the flesh hoop, a thrust ring interposedbetween the flesh hoop and the tensioning ring and arranged to bear upona skin stretched over the end of the shell at a point at the outer sidepf said flesh hoop, and anti-friction elements carried by the tensioningring and bearing upon the thrust ring.

4. A drum construction comprising a shell having an end portionexternally reduced in diam eter, a retaining hoop threaded on the shellin spaced surrounding relation to the reduced end portion of the shell,a flesh hoop disposed between the reduced end portion of the shell andthe retaining hoop, a tensioning ring adjustably threaded in saidretaining hoop outwardly of the flesh hoop, a thrust ring interposedbetween the flesh hoop and the tensioning ring and arranged to bear upona skin stretched over the end of the shell at a point at the outer sideof said flesh hoop, and anti-friction elements carried by the tensioningring and bearing upon the thrust ring, said flesh hoop comprising achannel member open at its outer side, and said thrust ring having anannular raceway aligned with the opening at the outer side of the fleshhoop and receiving anti-friction elements carried by the tensioningring.

5. A drum construction comprising a shell having an end portion thereofexternally reduced in diameter to provide a reduced end portion and anexternal annular shoulder at the inner end of said reduced end portion,an externally threaded ring fitted on the reduced end portion of saidshell and against said shoulder, means securing said threaded ring tothe shell, a retaining hoop adjustably threaded on said threaded ring, aflesh hoop disposed between the reduced end of th shell and theretaining hoop and freely movable longitudinally of the shell, atensioning ring adjustably threaded in the retaining hoop, and manuallyoperable means for rotating said tensioning ring.

6. A drum construction comprising a shell having an end portion thereofexternally reduced in diameter to provide a reduced end portion and anexternal annular shoulder at the inner end of said reduced end portion,an externally threaded ring fitted on the reduced end portion of saidshell and against said shoulder, means securing said threaded ring tothe shell, a retaining hoop adjustably threaded on said threaded ring, aflesh hoop disposed between the reduced end of the shell and the reaminghoop and freely movable longitudinally of the shell, a tensioning ringadjustably threadedin the retaining hoop, and manually operable meansfor rotating said tensioning ring, said retaining hoop having atransverse rib having a cylindri cal bore therein, a pinion journaled insaid bore,

said tensioning ring having external teeth meshing with said pinion, andmeans to facilitate rotation of said pinion.

7. A drum construction comprising a shell having an end portionexternally reduced in diameter, a retaining hoop threaded on the shellin spaced surrounding relation to the reduced end portion of the shell,a flesh hoop disposed between the reduced end portion of the shell andthe retaining hoop, a teneioning ring adjustably threaded in saidretaining hoop outwardly of the flesh hoop, a thrust ring interposedbetween the flesh hoop and the tensioning ring and arranged to bear upona skin stretched over the end of the shell at a point at the outer sideof said flesh hoop, and anti-friction elements carried by the tensioningring and bearing upon he thrust ring, said retaining hoop having aninternal annular flange on the outer end thereof overlying thetensioning ring and the space between the retaining hoop and the reducedend of the shell.

8. A drum construction comprising a shell having an externally reducedend portion, a retaining 6 hoop secured on the shell in spacedsurrounding relation to said reduced end portion of the shell, a. fleshring disposed in the space between the reduced end portion of the shelland the retaining hoop and freely movable longitudinally of the shell, atensioning ring adjustably threaded in said retaining hoop outwardly ofsaid flesh hoop, a thrust ring interposed between the flesh hoop and thetensioning ring, manually operable means for rotating said tensioningring, and antifriction elements carried by the tensioning ring andbearing upon the thrust ring.

CHARLES P. CORDES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

